1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for handling vehicle wheels and more particularly to an apparatus for supporting vehicle wheels that have been temporarily removed from a vehicle disposed on a lift or hoist.
2. Description of the Related Art
Automotive maintenance and repair is often made more convenient by lifting the automobile on a hydraulic or electric lift or hoist, thereby providing easy access to the vehicle's undercarriage. This access may be enhanced by temporarily removing the vehicle's wheels. Also, some automotive maintenance (i.e., tire rotation or brake maintenance) requires removal of the wheels. However, the tire/wheel assemblies tend to be very heavy. A single tire/wheel assembly can weigh 40–45 pounds for a car, and 65–70 pounds for a truck.
When a wheel is temporarily removed from a vehicle elevated on a hoist, the individual removing that wheel must temporarily dispose of it in some way. Typically, the individual bends over and places the wheel on the floor. Later, the individual must similarly bend to lift the wheel off the floor for reinstallation on the vehicle. Individuals engaged in this type of repeated lifting procedure may sustain pain and/or injuries due to back strain, muscle strain and the like. To avoid possible injury, individuals removing such tires have sometimes been known to carry the tire out of the work area to a table or other surface on which the tire can be placed temporarily without requiring the individual to bend over. Such transportation of the tire away from the work area results in wasted time and effort. Also, carrying the heavy tire/wheel assembly speeds worker fatigue.
Various devices have been proposed to assist individuals in handling tire/wheel assemblies when mounting and removing them from vehicles disposed on hoists. These devices include various types of lifts, carts and dollies for lifting and handling the tires. Although they may help workers to remove and support tires from a vehicle elevated on a lift, these devices can cause problems of their own, such as cluttering up the work space and being quite expensive to purchase and maintain. Also, these lifts, carts and dollies may be complicated to use.